Falcons Double Up Broncos, 4-2, in Series Opener

Tuesday, April 5

Kalamazoo, Mich.

3:00 PM

Bowling Green State University

18-9, 6-3

Western Michigan

13-19, 3-4

Bowling Green

Western Michigan

Reagan Williamson v Toledo - April 2 2022

Photo by: Morgan Holscher, BGSU Athletics

April 05, 2022 | Softball

Box Score BGSU-WMU Stats

Williamson, L'Esperance combine for 5 hits in Tuesday's win in Kalamazoo

By: by Mike Cihon, BGSU Athletics

KALAMAZOO, Mich. – The Bowling Green State University softball team took an early lead on Tuesday afternoon (April 5), and the Falcons went on to a 4-2 win over Western Michigan University. The Mid-American Conference contest was held at Ebert Field.

Greta L'Esperance and Reagan Williamson helped the Falcons (18-9, 6-3 MAC) to a pair of two-run innings, with L'Esperance scoring a run and Williamson driving home a teammate in each frame.

The Broncos (13-19, 3-4 MAC) cut a four-run deficit in half on a Cassidy Brendtke homer in the fourth, but Payton Gottshall then proceeded to retire 11 consecutive batters to lock down the win.

Gottshall threw a complete-game three-hitter, striking out 11 without allowing a walk. She threw 68 of her 88 pitches for strikes.

Williamson and L'Esperance combined for five of BGSU's six hits in the victory. Williamson was 3-for-4 with a pair of doubles and two RBI, while L'Esperance was 2-for-3 with a walk, two runs scored and three stolen bases.

NOTEWORTHY
• Greta L'Esperance stole three bases on Tuesday, tying her career high. She now has 21 steals in 23 attempts in 2022, and ranks seventh on the BGSU single-season list for stolen bases.
• L'Esperance now has 50 career stolen bases in her BGSU career, and has become just the fourth player in school history to reach that milestone.

HOW IT HAPPENED
• The Falcons got on the board quickly, scoring twice in the first inning against WMU starter Rissa Bajusz. Greta L'Esperance led off with a walk, and one out later, Bailey Sample was hit by a pitch. Then, Reagan Williamson drove a ball to the gap in right-center for a double that scored L'Esperance with the game's first run. Sample would cross the plate on a wild pitch to double the BGSU lead.
• The Broncos put the leadoff hitter aboard in each of the first two innings, with a BGSU error in the first and a Cassidy Brendtke singie in the second. But, Falcon pitcher Payton Gottshall retired the next three batters in each case. In the first, after a sacrifice bunt, Gottshall struck out the next two hitters.
• And, Gottshall responded to the Brendtke hit by striking out the next six batters she faced.
• L'Esperance reached base for the second-straight inning with a two-out bunt single in the second, and after she stole second, Peyton Dolejs drew a walk, but the Falcons could not add to the lead.
• BG put two more runners aboard in the third, on a Lexi Carver walk and a Payton Hamm single, but it was not until the fourth inning that the Falcons were able to add to the lead.
• That fourth frame saw L'Esperance reached base for the third time in the contest, on a one-out infield single. She proceeded to steal both second and third, before Dolejs reached on an infield grounder to put runners at the corners.
• The next batter, Sample, hit a ball back toward the circle, but the throw home was not in time to get L'Esperance. Then, Williamson singled to plate Dolejs for a 4-0 lead.
• The hosts cut that BGSU lead in half in the bottom of the inning. With one out, Alyssa Kramer singled, and Brendtke homered to left. That, however, would be the last time a WMU batter reached base.
• BGSU had only one baserunner over the final three innings, on a Williamson double in the seventh. During that span, Ally Bezjak was robbed of a hit when her scorching line drive was caught by diving second baseman Jordyn Swinehart.
• But, after the Brendtke homer, Gottshall retired 11-straight Broncos to end the game. She needed just six total pitches to retire the side in the seventh.

STATS, LEADERS & NOTES
• Williamson and L'Esperance combined for five of BGSU's six hits. Williamson was 3-for-4 with two doubles and two RBI, and L'Esperance went 2-for-3 with a walk, two runs and three stolen bases.
• Hamm also had a hit for the Falcons, while Carver drew two of BGSU's four walks. Dolejs walked and scored a run, while Sample was hit by a pitch and scored a run.
• Brendtke had two of the Broncos' three hits and drove in both runs with her fourth-inning homer, while Kramer singled and scored.
• Gottshall, as mentioned, threw 68 of her 88 pitches for strikes. She fanned 11 and did not walk a batter. Gottshall faced four batters over the minimum.
• Bajusz allowed four runs and five hits before leaving with one out in the fourth. She walked four batters and struck out four. Jordan Kavanagh pitched 3 2/3 innings of scoreless, one-hit relief for the Broncos.

UP NEXT
• The Falcons and Broncos will wrap up their midweek series with a Wednesday (April 6) doubleheader. First pitch of game one is scheduled for 1:00 p.m. at Ebert Field.
• Then, BG will be back at Meserve Field this weekend, with a Saturday (April 9) twinbill followed by a Sunday (April 10) single game. Saturday's first game begins at 1:00 p.m., with Sunday's contest set for a 12:00 p.m. start.

FOLLOW THE FALCONS
For more information on BGSU softball, follow the Falcons on Twitter (@BGAthletics and @BGSUSoftball) and Instagram (@bgsu_softball) as well as on the web right here at BGSUFalcons.com.